Taiwanese team wins $25,000 Microsoft prize

A team from Taiwan has scooped the $25,000 top prize in the Embedded Development category at Microsoft’s Imagine Cup.

The Cup, held in Poland, challenged university students from around the world to use their tech skills to address global issues inspired by the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.

The Taiwanese SmarterME team was bestowed the title of Heavyweight Embedded Technology Champion of the World for its meter designed to address environmental sustainability for businesses and in the home.

MCPU from Russia came second for Robonanny – a robot that helps socialise and educate children, while French team GERAS came third with their intelligent carpet, which senses when an elderly person fall and calls the emergency services.

Davis said: “We solve problems with embedded devices. When I see machines in action solving problems, I know that someone, somewhere, wrote a program to make that happen. Someone just like you. This is why we are here, to celebrate the success of every one of the students who participated in this incredible competition.”

The Imagine Cup attracted over 325,000 students from 100 countries, with nine categories including software design, embedded development and digital media. Over 400 students from around 70 countries headed to Warsaw for the finals, which started last weekend and came to a close with a grand ceremony yesterday.